Prospective mathematics teachers’ understanding of the base concept^*

^*A brief version of this study has been presented at the International Conference on Education in Mathematics, Science & Technology (ICEMST), Bodrum, Turkey.

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study is to analyze what kind of conceptions prospective mathematics teachers¹(PMTs) have about the base concept²(BC). One-hundred and thirty-nine PMTs participated in the study. In this qualitative research, data were obtained through open-ended questions, the semi-structured interviews and pictures of geometric figures drawn by PMTs. As a result, it was determined that PMTs dealt with the BC in a broad range of seven different images. It was also determined that the base perception of PMTs was limited mostly to their usage in daily life and in this context, they have position-dependent and word-dependent images. It was also determined that PMTs named the base to explain the BC or paid attention to the naming of three-dimensional geometric figures through the statement: ‘objects are named according to their bases’. At the same time, it was also determined that PMTs had more than one concept images³which were contradicting with each other. According to these findings, potential explanations and advices were given.

KEYWORDS:

• Base concept
• concept image
• conception
• prospective mathematics teachers
• geometry education

SUBJECT CLASSIFICATION CODES:

• 97A99
• 97B50
• 97C70
• 97G40

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank Dr. Kemal Izci and Dr. Ahmet Oǧuz Aktürk for providing informative feedbacks that make the study more clear for readers.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1. prospective mathematics teachers (hereafter referred to as PMTs)

2. base concept (hereafter referred to as BC)

3. concept images (hereafter referred to as CIs)